Functional Fractionation and Integration: Physiology, Networks, and Behaviors

Excerpt

From the early 1900s onward, anatomists have parcellated the cerebral cortex, including the frontal cortex. Initial approaches were based on both the features of stained cell bodies and the pattern of myelinated fibers, together called architectonics. The labels provided by these architectonic investigations are still widely used today. This chapter considers the extant evidence for functional fractionation of the frontal lobes, and whether the organization of the frontal lobes should be conceptualized in terms of functional and anatomical gradients, instead of discrete areas with well-delineated boundaries. Discussion includes how the frontal lobes interact with other parts of the brain to influence behavior as well as the identification of critical gaps in knowledge. The authors conclude that a greater understanding of frontal lobe function would emerge from advances in theory that connects different levels of explanation, that take into account evolutionary perspectives, and that lead to the development of a common cognitive-behavioral ontological framework.